1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates generally to a cable cutter for cutting a cable, and more particularly to a cable cutter driven by an explosive event.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of the cutters have been used for cutting a cable. Typically, a blade and a cutter jaw or two scissors controlled by an actuator in a powered cutting device pivot or reciprocally move to cut a cable disposed between the blade and the cutter jaw or the two scissors. The cutting device, however, becomes more complicated and more difficult to be assembled since the power cutting device needs to cut the cable more efficiently.
Efforts to effectively cut a cable have spawned various types of cable cutters. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,635 for a Hydraulic Puncher issued to Saito and U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,975 for a Hydraulic Puncher and U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,749 for a Hydraulic Actuator issued to Saito et al. disclose a hydraulic puncher including a puncher holder, a C-shaped frame integrally connected to the punch holder, a die holder removably connected to one end of the C-shaped frame. U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,572 for a Hydraulic Punching Tool issued to Michelson discloses a hydraulic punching tool alternatively producing a relatively strong power stroke and a relatively weak reset stroke. U.S. Patent No. 5,272,811 for a Hydraulically Controlled SelfNavy Contained Multi-functional Tool Such As Shears/Separator issued to Armand discloses a hydraulically controlled self-contained multi-functional hand tool including a hydraulic ram portion with a rod. I have noticed that the embodiments described by these references fail to show an inert assembly detachably attached to the main body of the cable cutter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,268 for an Apparatus For a Shearing a Material Mass issued to Pemberton discloses an apparatus for shearing a material mass having a pair of movable shears, an outrigger secured to the one of the shears and extended across the path of the other one of the movable shears and supporting the material mass during severing and transferring torque from one shear to urge it toward the other shear. U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,479 for a Pneumatic Scissors issued to Keeton discloses a pneumatic scissors including a stationary substantially planar blade, and a movable blade having a thickness greater than that of the stationary planar blade, and a pneumatic actuator. U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,963 for a Hydraulic Cable And Rod Cutting And Crimping Device issued to Lind et al. discloses a hydraulic cable and rod cutting and crimping device including dual manually held handles centrally receiving and exhausting the operating pressurized hydraulic fluid and a safety trigger assembly, and a piston assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,445 for a Pneumatically Operated Cable-Slitting Tool issued to Grubb discloses a pneumatically operated cable-slitting tool having a toggle trigger for actuating a control rod controlling a pair of pneumatic check valves. Also, I have noticed that the embodiments described by these references do not show an inert assembly detachably attached to the main body of the cable cutter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,170 for a Cartridge Actuated Cable Cutter issued to Smith discloses an explosive cartridge actuated cable cutter device shearing power transmission line or underground cable and including a bore accommodating a piston, a radially extending impact shoulder attached to a piston, a circumferential step formed on the bore and forming a reaction shoulder in the bore, a shock attenuator sleeve inserted into the circumferential step and between the bore and the piston. The piston rod compressively engages shock attenuator sleeve and compress the shock attenuator sleeve against reaction shoulder, thereby dissipating the kinetic energy of the piston member at the conclusion of the cutting stroke.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cutting device for cutting a cable.
It is another object to provide a cutting device able to be easily assembled.
It is yet another object to provide a cutting device to be assembled and loaded at the time of use.
It is yet another object to provide a cutting device driven by an explosive event which powers a cutting blade to cut a cable.
These and other objects may be achieved by providing a cable cutter for cutting a cable by using an explosive event supplied by a detonator with a shock tube initiator. The cable cutter comprises a main body and an initiator assembly connected to the main body. A cutter disposed in the main body to slidably move within a bore formed on the main body. The initiator assembly is coupled to the main body and includes a coupler removeably attached to the main body, a passageway formed within the coupler, a cap, having a hole formed within the cap, removeably attached to the coupler, and at least one detonator inserted into the hole in the cap and through the passageway wherein the detonator is proximate to the base of the cutter. When the detonator is initiated, the explosive event resulting from the detonator pushes the cutter forward to cut the cable or other workpiece. The initiator assembly can be detachably attached to the main body of the cable cutter and loaded at the time of use. A 45 degree right-angle cone is provided within the coupler to direct the output energy toward the base of the cutter body causing a more efficient cutting operation of the cutter blade.